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The FDA plans to inspect around 30 drug compounders in the next two months as part of heightened efforts following a deadly meningitis outbreak tied to compounded drugs. The pharmacies mainly produce sterile drugs for health care providers across the country, FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson said.

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A former pharmacist at the New England Compounding Center faces criminal charges tied to a deadly meningitis outbreak in 2012. Prosecutors say the man knew the 17,000 vials of compounded back pain medication had not been properly sterilized or tested but shipped them anyway.

All sterile products from Cedar Park, Texas-based Specialty Compounding are subject to a voluntary nationwide recall announced by the FDA after reports of bacterial infection in 15 patients. This incident is the latest in a string of recalls involving compounding pharmacies, prompting stricter regulatory inspections and a growing push in Congress to develop bipartisan measures to improve safety of compounded drugs.

The Justice Department is wrong to go after UPS and FedEx for their role in the shipping of illegal sales of painkillers by online pharmacies, according to this editorial. The Controlled Substances Act specifically protects "common or contract carriers" who are otherwise acting lawfully.

Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee could issue a subpoena if the FDA fails to produce by Feb. 25 key internal memos regarding the meningitis outbreak tied to the New England Compounding Center. "FDA has produced no communications from staff and officials at FDA headquarters, who were actually making the decisions about how to address the situation," committee chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., and four other Republicans wrote in a letter to the agency. FDA spokeswoman Erica Jefferson said the agency had provided more than 3,500 pages and is preparing on a response to the panel.